BWW Reviews: RACE Challenges Audiences Now Through Nov 13

In every case there are two fictions, two sides, each trying to tell the better story, each trying to triumph. Law isn't about justice. It's about winning. The truth is elusive. As personal prejudices come into play, the truth sneaks further and further into the background, especially in cases involving race and sex. Pulitzer Prize winner, David Mamet's play RACE explores the various prejudices and positions in racial arguments. Refreshingly, Mamet does not take sides. Instead, he focuses on getting the audience to think and to speak for themselves. 

RACE, playing at the American Conservatory Theatre through November 13, follows two lawyers, their assistant, and their client: Charles Strickland (played by Kevin O'Rourke), a rich white man charged with raping a black woman. The black Henry Brown (played by Chris Butler) and white Jack Lawson (played by Anthony Fusco) take on the case and begin to build an argument for Strickland's innocence, while Susan, their assistant (played by Susan Heyward), believes Strickland guilty from the start. As the supposed facts unfold, characters are forced to consider their own prejudices and to confront each other about them.

Rather than attempt to be politically correct, Mamet challenges the euphemisms of race and the lack of discussion on race in the modern world. He writes in a way that does not automatically brand the white man as racist, but that also does not claim complete innocence. The characters of RACE suggest that all people are guilty and that prejudice is unavoidable, even if people try to hush discussion with claims of living in a post-racism world. The white person fears offending the black person while the black person often hates white people and may assume automatic guilt in a case like that of Charles Strickland. Both people need to put aside automatic judgments and start talking.

Mamet writes, "Race, like sex, is a subject on which it is near impossible to tell the truth. In each, desire, self-interest, and self-image make the truth inconvenient to share not only with strangers, but with members of one's own group, and, indeed, with oneself."

Mamet ends his play rather abruptly and leaves the audience unsure of the concluding "truth." While somewhat irritating, this sudden ending leaves the audience to make decisions on their own, the author's intention in the first place.The law drama becomes less about solving or winning a case and more about revealing the evidence of the heart.

The audience must ask, Was it wrong for Jack to investigate Susan more than he might investigate other potential employees purely because she was black? After all, he knew that if he ever had to fire her, she could allege discrimination. And does she have other motives for questioning him? It would appear her own prejudices have influenced her words. When someone acts in a way that changes everything for the case, is that person's actions justified? The person seems to believe that the end justifies the means, but what if that person were wrong? Was prejudice ignorant of the facts? And despite the play's ending, was the client guilty?

Each character has a different prejudice, a different point of view on the case, and a different point of view on the other characters of the play. Who's right? What is right and what is wrong? It appears everyone is guilty in the case of prejudice, and only the audience can decide where the truth lies.

Director Irene Lewis, who has a history with plays written about and for African Americans, has done a wonderful job both utilizing the stage, set in the same law office for the entire play, and helping the actors delve deep into their characters. The four person cast does a superb job with the witty dialogue, much of which has been called "language pyrotechnics" (consider yourself warned - the language in the show is unnecessarily excessive and never ceases in vulgarity).

Chris Butler and Anthony Fusco stand out as lawyers Henry Brown and Jack Lawson, each of which has a strong personality that leads to hilarious remarks throughout the show. The cast plays off each other well, and the dialogue flows organically as each character passes the ball of prejudice and racism. As revelation builds on top of revelation, leading up to an unexpected ending, the actors and the script work together to make the audience think. Indeed, there is not a single moment in RACE that will not have the audience thinking, and the play is certain to leave a lasting impression on all who see it.

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RACE by David Mamet
Directed by Irene Lewis
Now through November 13, 2011
Tickets $10-$85
American Conservatory Theatre - San Francisco, California
415-749-2228
http://www.act-sf.org
Photo: Law firm associate Susan (Susan Heyward) and law firm partners Jack Lawson (A.C.T. core acting company member Anthony Fusco, left) and Henry Brown (Chris Butler, second from right) prep their wealthy client Charles Strickland (Kevin O'Rourke) for questioning. Photo by Kevin Berne.

Published at: http://sanfrancisco.broadwayworld.com/article/BWW-Reviews-RACE-Challenges-Audiences-Now-Through-Nov-13-20111027#ixzz1c8YubQI6

BWW Reviews: MASTER CLASS Has Presence Now Through Nov 6

"Master Class" is all about presence, and Hillbarn Theatre definitely has presence. A small theatre with big ambitions, the company has successfully helmed a play that requires presence - a lot of presence - especially from its actors.


These actors either sing some of the more difficult songs of opera or memorize over an hour's worth of lines without many breaks, the latter being one actress in particular who portrays "La Divina," one of the most famous opera singers who ever lived, the Divina who lived a life as tragic as those of the characters she played: Maria Callas. Callas has so much presence that "Master Class" could very well be considered a one-person show if it weren't for the shining co-stars playing the smaller roles.

With a small stage and minimal sets, "Master Class" demands the attention of its audience as they watch Maria Callas giving master class lessons to three young singers, simultaneously living both the triumphs and the tragedies of her past: love, loss, abortion, criticisms, and the stage. Callas, herself, never sings in the play, but her students do, and they do a lovely job at it, too.


Monica Cappuccini commands the stage as Maria Callas, coming into her own during the second act. While she lacks the more aggressive, intimidating presence found in other portrayals of Callas and is sometimes hard to follow during her first act monologue, Cappuccini has Callas' accent down to a "T," and her mannerisms are spot-on. She especially excels during the softer, more emotional parts of the play, as Callas shows her students how to act as if they are the characters they're singing, how to have presence. Cappuccini's facial expressions are exceptionally moving during her second act monologue in which she recounts Callas' love that led her to get an abortion.

Cappuccini's costars have an equally strong presence on stage. SusAnna Jimenez as the young Sophie DePalma and Jenny Matteucci as the dramatic soprano Sharon Graham (the character is double cast with Marcelle Dronkers playing at certain performances) have beautiful voices for their young age. And audiences may get some extra enjoyment from the fact that Matteucci plays next to her husband, Daniel Lockert, whose fingers easily glide over the piano keys, providing beautiful accompaniment for the few times the students sing.

Gabriel Cohen, who plays the third student, a tenor, does not show as much progress as a student as perhaps he should (especially considering how much praise Callas gives his character at the end of his lesson), but he has a pleasant voice. That's more than what can be said for the one note Cappuccini lets out, which would have been better left out. But it's not a singing role, even if the character is a singer, and Cappuccini succeeds in what she's meant to do - so much so that she earned a standing ovation.

For a community theatre, Hillbarn Theatre certainly deserves a standing ovation. It's a "master" at what it does, and it has a lot of "class." As Maria Callas might say, it knows how to exude presence.

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Master Class, by Terrence McNally
Now through November 6, 2011
Hillbarn Theatre - Foster City, California
http://www.hillbarntheatre.org
650-349-6411
Photos Courtesy of Hillbarn Theatre

Read more: http://sanfrancisco.broadwayworld.com/article/BWW-Reviews-MASTER-CLASS-Has-Presence-Now-Through-Nov-6-20111024#ixzz1c8WCsH3J

"Into the Woods" tells stories

http://chimes.biola.edu/content/article/2011/feb/10/woods-weaves-serious-and-humor/

Once upon a time, the Biola Conservatory of Music decided to change routes, veering off its regular path of an opera production to take a trip “Into the Woods” of musical theater.

Musical spins a twist on a classic

Stephen Sondheim’s “Into the Woods” isn’t far off from an opera, however. Characters spend the majority of the show singing (in English, of course) with very little time in dialogue, while the plot includes dramatic elements found in many operas. Such elements leave Sondheim fans equally pleased and surprised at Biola’s choice for a musical.

With cheating princes, two babies born after undisclosed activities in Rapunzel’s tower–– but still implied–– and other questionable situations, the woods hold far more than a pristine, ever-after ending. In fact, the entire second act takes place after the “happily ever after” we all know from classic fairy tales including Cinderella, Little Red Riding Hood, Rapunzel and Jack and the Beanstalk, with a quick glimpse of Sleeping Beauty and Snow White.

"Woods" moments relate to real life

Upon second look, however, these “moments in the woods” are the very moments of real life. Sondheim, who also wrote the recent musical made into a film “Sweeney Todd,” has a talent for looking into the souls of men and women, portraying the struggles of life on stage in a way that makes his audience think hard about their own lives. Any Christian would do just as well to think about the Christian response to such struggles. The Bible never promises the perfect life. Neither do the fairy tales in “Into the Woods.”

The show focuses on how people deal with their journeys. While the first act contains familiar characters and stories, the plot goes beyond the books. It tells viewers about the Baker and his wife, who gave the magic beans to Jack in exchange for his white cow. They need the cow to help undo a spell placed on the Baker, one that makes his family barren. The Baker acquired the beans from his father, who stole them from the Witch next door. The Witch took her revenge by taking the Baker’s sister, Rapunzel, and raising her as her own. As the Baker and his wife go “into the woods” to undo the spell, they run into Red Riding Hood, Cinderella and other characters.

In the second act, characters are forced to journey back to the woods, after the giant’s wife comes to take her revenge on Jack for killing her husband. The princes are after new princesses, the stepsisters are on their way to a secret hideout, the Baker and his wife have to take care of their new baby and help Little Red Riding Hood and Jack through the woods, and all while the Witch tries to find a way to appease the giant. Meanwhile, Little Red Riding Hood and Jack struggle to cope with the deaths of family. Anyone who has lost a loved one will be especially moved by the “No One is Alone” quartet that Red and Jack sing with the Baker and Cinderella.

Lighter moments balance out the play

In addition to the more serious moments, “Into the Woods” has plenty of humor to balance the mood, and the cast does an outstanding job of lighting up the stage. The evil stepsisters ham it up; the princes agonize over their inability to find the women they love; and Little Red Riding Hood just loves her sweet pastries.

Though young, the cast impresses

For such a young cast, the singers do a great job with the odd beats and discordant tones that make Sondheim’s music difficult to sing. While not one voice is miscast, the Narrator (Trevor Gomes) and Jack (Tyler Wigglesworth) stand out the most with their silly faces and melodramatic characterizations. The Baker (Arnold Geis) and his wife (Kristen Tucker) fit their parts so perfectly, its hard to imagine them any other way. And the Witch (Danielle Evans) is so animated, you never know what to expect.

The costumes enhance, and sometimes outshine, the sets and characters of the show. From the Witch’s wart-covered face to the wolf’s long snout, it would seem no expense was spared in these extravagant clothes. And, as always, the bad guys get all the best costumes.

Unfortunately, the noisy sets sometimes overpower the actors and distract from the action. Transitions between scenes and a few stagings, such as the witch’s disappearance, can also slow and awkward. Despite these drawbacks, the sets make full use of the small stage space. Rafters transport viewers to towers and the tops of trees. The rafters look a little out of place, but thanks to their lush, green surroundings, they serve their purpose without detracting too much from the overall effect.

The first few rows of the auditorium were removed to accommodate a bigger stage as well, allowing for the edition of an orchestra. Backing up the show, the full orchestra plays behind the sets and a mesh screen, a nice change from the typical piano-driven opera production. And audience members will enjoy the small glimpses of players they receive during set changes.

The ticket prices of $15 for students, faculty, staff and senior citizens or $20 general admission may be too high for some, but is well worth it to see Biola’s production of “Into the Woods.”

DVD Review: "I Am"

http://staticmultimedia.com/blu-ray-dvd/i-am-finds-peace

While, at first look, I Am may seem like a rehashed knock-off of the controversial book The Shack, the film contains little to incite controversy. God takes on the form of an African American man in casual clothes in the film. However, His conversations with the characters of the film seem more like the quiet conversations, pleas and prayers of the heart than like face-to-face, God intervening encounters. The conversations feel like what’s presented in Romans 2:15: “They show that the requirements of the law are written on their hearts, their consciences also bearing witness, and their thoughts sometimes accusing them at other times even defending them.”

The true heart of I Am lies in the Ten Commandments, however, as the commandments are shown on the screen throughout the movie as different characters encounter the consequences of their actions taken against the commandments. Some such actions take the form of odd, unexpected sins. One woman, for example, puts “other gods before me” when she has herself frozen in order to keep herself alive. The man who freezes her after she blackmails him has visions of the woman taunting him, tempting him to kill her, and, thus, he creates a “graven image.”

Other applications of the commandments are refreshingly different. Instead of focusing on the common conception of God forbidding the use of his name as a swear word, the film shows a man using God’s name to sell a product, or “taking God’s name in vain.” Another character learns to honor the Sabbath, not by setting aside a day every week for God and church, but by taking time to rest from work and life’s troubles to spend time on the things that really matter, such as being with his family.

These situations are part of a larger plot as other commandments like the commandment to not commit adultery come into play and as the lives of the ten main characters intertwine. There’s no one consistent plot to follow, and the different stories can confuse the viewer because of the way they are organized, but the pieces come together in the end to complete a puzzle that makes viewers think about their own lives.

Ultimately, I Am is not about preaching a bunch of rules and stuffing them in the viewer’s face. Instead, it is about finding peace in life. Revenge, human love, science, alcohol, memorialization of a passed loved one and everything else can never erase the past. As the God in the film says, the past can find justice, but man can never forget. What man truly needs is peace.

Amish Grace Review

http://staticmultimedia.com/blu-ray-dvd/amish-grace-docudrama-needs-forgiveness

In all regular fashion, Hallmark provides an inspirational, moving film with Amish Grace, a docudrama following the 2006 tragedy in which a man shot and killed five Amish children and injured five others. In similar regular fashion, the film delivers poor, melodramatic acting, annoying TV blackouts place for commercial breaks, and bits of unrealistic and inaccurate information. Luckily, none of these is enough to hinder the film’s message of grace and forgiveness.

The viewer learns to forgive and love others along with the film’s main character, Ida (Kimberly Williams-Paisley), whose daughter is one of the children killed. Ida has difficulty accepting the Amish community’s way of forgiveness, especially when the community won’t forgive her sister for leaving to join the “modern English” world.

Meanwhile, the wife of the shooter deals with her own conscience and has trouble understanding the welcoming Amish community. As her life crosses paths with Ida, their journeys take new turns and they learn the true meaning of grace.

Grace leaves unfilled holes at the end of the film, however. Ida never reconciles with her husband and the Amish community over the issue of her sister’s “shunning.” Viewers are left wondering if Ida will ever see her sister again and how the film’s concept of grace applies to her sister’s “sin.”

Anyone familiar with the Amish culture will likely be annoyed by the small inaccuracies that appear throughout the film. Such factual errors and changes to the story are to be expected with a film adaptation of real events, however, especially when the film is for a TV channel with a strict budget.

Cheap TV productions come with cheap acting, as well. While the actors in Amish Grace deliver in more intense, emotional scenes, their day-to-day lines come across as canned, unrealistic, and melodramatic.

The faults of Amish Grace, however, are typical of made-for-TV dramas, and such faults have been much worse in other films than they are in Amish Grace. Viewers who watch Amish Grace without high expectations are still sure to be pleased by its inspirational message and extend some grace of their own to the film.